Outdoor lamp

ABSTRACT

A lighting system mountable to a support surface comprising a mounting bracket and a light housing having a lens attached thereto and a bulb located the lens. A photo control is also include which has a gradient of decreased opacity which controls the duration of operation of the light by adjustably limiting the amount of light sensed by the control. In addition, a shield located between the bulb and the lens may be provided. The shield is positionable about the bulb to selectively block light emitted by the bulb. 
     The mounting bracket has a first support and a second support and the housing is adapted to releasably engage the supports in a sequential manner whereby when the first support is engaged, the housing is pivoted about the first support until the housing is in engagement with the second support. The housing then coacts with the second support so that it is secured to the mounting bracket in a fixed manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an improved outdoor light for lighting anoutdoor area. More specifically, the present invention uses a rotatableshield that selectively controls the area to be illuminated by thelight, an adjustable control that extends the period of operation of thelight, and a unique mounting system that makes the light easier toinstall.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The outdoor light of the present invention overcomes a number ofdifficulties associated with outdoor lights. First, as is often the casein residential settings, a homeowner may wish to illuminate a specificarea while, at the same time, leave other areas unaffected. This isdifficult to do since most outdoor lights emit light in a 360 degreedirection. The present invention allows for selective illumination byproviding a rotatable shield that controls the area to be illuminated byblocking a portion of the light emitted.

Another problem overcome by the present invention is the difficultytypically associated with wiring and mounting an outdoor light. Mostoften the only manner in which the light fixtures may be installed isthrough the use of two people. This is the result of the devices beingbulky and heavy as well as from the need to normally install the devicesin elevated areas.

The mounting system used on the present invention overcomes thesedifficulties by providing a bracket to which the light is firstpivotally mounted and held in place. Then, the device may be wired andpermanently installed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, objects and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following description anddrawings wherein like reference numerals represent like elements in theseveral views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention withportions removed to reveal aspects of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the mounting system of theinvention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the light control cover used with theinvention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a bulb protector used with theinvention.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 showing howthe device articulates on a mounting bracket.

FIG. 6 is an exploded bottom view with portions removed to show therotatable shield used with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view on an alternate light control cover usedwith the invention.

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the bracket of the mountingsystem.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As shown in FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the invention consists ofa light fixture 20 having a lens 22 made of glass or plastic which has alower lip 23. Also provide are bulb 24, photo control 26, and a housing28, which may be made of metal or some other weather resistant material.Housing 28 further includes a throat or channel 30 which defines aninterior space 32 that is covered by plate 34.

Rotatably mounted to stem 36, which holds bulb 24, is shield 38 which islocated within the interior defined by lens 22. As is shown in FIGS. 1and 6, shield 38 includes a vertical portion 39, a horizontal portion 41and flanges 43A, 43B, 43C, and 43D which hold shield 38 to stem 36.While shield 38 is rotatably attached to the fixture by flanges 43,persons of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the shield 38may be rotatably affixed to the fixture by a number of different methodsincluding fasteners and other co-acting elements.

As shown in FIG. 2, the distal end of throat 30 includes a plate 42.Opposingly located on plate 42 are apertures 44 and 46. As is also shownin FIGS. 1, 2, 5, and 8, plate 42 is sized to cooperate with bracket 45to enclose interior space 32. In addition, plate 42 and bracket 45cooperate to secure fixture 20 to mounting surface 62 by fasteners 64.This is accomplished by the use of an aperture 47 which aligns withaperture 44 of plate 42 and post 49 which aligns with and is sized tofit within aperture 46 of plate 42. As is shown in FIGS. 2 and 5,fixture 20 is first attached to bracket 45 by inserting post 49 intoaperture 46.

FIG. 3 shows photo control cover 50 that is used with the device. Asshown in FIGS. 1 and 3, cover 50 is sized to fit over the photo control26 used on the light. As shown, cover 50 is shaped to fit with afriction fit over control 26 and is adapted to rotate about control 26.Cover 50 may be made of molded plastic. As is shown in FIG. 3, cover 50includes areas of varying opacity. For example, cover 50 may includeclear area, 52, an area of diminished opacity 54, and an area of furtherdecreased opacity 56. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7, cover 50 mayinclude a gradient of decreasing opacity formed by a dot-matrix whichranges from an almost completely darkened area to a clear area.

To protect bulb 24 from damage a guard 40 covers the interior spacedefined by lens 22. As shown, guard 40 is made of a wire mesh 41 and hasprongs 42, 44, and 46 which engage lip 23 to hold guard 40 in place.Prong 42 is movable so that the guard may be affixed and removed fromthe device.

In use, bracket 45 is first affixed to a mounting surface 62 byfasteners 64 which are inserted through apertures 53 located on bracket45. Of course, persons of skill in the art would also appreciate thatbracket 45 may be affixed to a mounting surface by other means as well.

Once bracket 45 is installed, fixture 20 is attached, as was describedabove, by inserting post 49 into aperture 46. This engagement affixesfixture 20 to surface 62 and, as shown in FIG. 5, permits fixture 20 toarticulate about an axis defined by post 49.

Permitting fixture 20 to articulate about post 49 permits the fixture tobe placed in an open position which allows the end-user to complete thewiring of fixture 20 while the fixture is independently supported. This,in turn, eliminates the need for the person installing the fixture toboth support the fixture and complete any necessary wiring at the sametime. This may be done by first attaching conduit containing the wiring(not shown) to aperture 51. At this point, the wiring of fixture 20 isconnected in interior space 32 and completed. Next, fixture 20 isrotated until aperture 44 and 47 are aligned which puts the device in aclosed position so as to permit the insertion of pin 60 into bothapertures. This locks the fixture into place, and in addition, sealsinterior space 32 and the wiring contained therein from the outsideelements and tampering.

As may be appreciated, by affixing fixture 20 in this manner, anoperator may first secure fixture 20 to mounting surface 62 in anefficient manner with the use of both hands. Then, the wiring may becompleted without the need to support the fixture during installationsince the device is now securely held. Lastly, the device is locked inplace with pin 60 after the wiring is completed.

In use, shield 38 acts to selectively control the areas to beilluminated by the light by being rotatably positionable about bulb 24.For example, once fixture 20 is installed and it is desired to blocklight from being emitted into a desired area, shield 38 is rotated aboutbulb 24 until it is in a position to block the light being emitted fromthe bulb from illuminating the desired area. By having the shield berotatable about bulb 24, fixture 20 may be placed in almost any positionand then the shield may be positioned as desired so as to prevent theillumination of a predetermined area. If no shield is desired, it maysimply be removed by sliding it off of stem 36.

To increase the operational time of fixture 20, cover 50 is used. As wasdescribed above, cover 50 has areas of decreasing opacity which may bepositioned over photo control 26. Placing such an area over the photocontrol activates bulb 26 for a longer period of time because the coverdecreases the amount of light sensed by the photo control. Thus, thegreater the amount of decreased opacity used, the longer the period ofoperation of the fixture.

While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have beenillustrated and described, it will be understood by those of ordinaryskill in the art that changes and other modifications can be madewithout departing from the invention in its broader aspects. Variousfeatures of the present invention are set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A lighting system mountable to a support surfacecomprising:a mounting bracket, a light housing, and a bulb; saidmounting bracket having a first bracket support and an opposinglylocated second bracket support; said light housing having a firsthousing support and an opposingly located second housing support; saidfirst bracket support adapted to coact with said housing first housingsupport to create an axis about which said housing articulates; saidarticulation allows said second bracket support and said second housingsupport to be aligned whereby said second bracket support and saidsecond housing support are positioned to prevent the articulation ofsaid light housing; and a photo control which includes a gradient ofdecreased opacity which controls the duration of operation of said bulbby adjustably limiting the amount of light sensed by said control.
 2. Alighting system mountable to a support surface comprising:a mountingbracket, a light housing having a lens, and a bulb; said mountingbracket having a first bracket support and an opposingly located secondbracket support; said light housing having a first housing support andan opposingly located second housing support; said first bracket supportadapted to coact with said housing first housing support to create anaxis about which said light housing articulates; said articulationallows said second bracket support and said second housing support to bealigned whereby said second bracket support and said second housingsupport are positioned to prevent the articulation of said housing; anda shield located between said bulb and said lens, said shieldpositionable about said bulb whereby said shield selectively blockslight emitted by said bulb.